2019 signals 35 years since the first BMW M5 was released. The technology may have changed but this sixth-generation M5 is still the benchmark and exemplifies what a modern sports sedan is all about. To celebrate this milestone, BMW has announced a special edition model of which only 350 will be built worldwide, and just 35 are destined for the US market. Considering that the original M5 had just 288hp (256hp for US-spec cars), the M5 Edition 35 Years’ 617hp 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 makes short work of the additional 1000 or so pounds it has put on over the years. Part of that weight gain comes down to the necessary safety equipment in modern cars but it is also a far larger and more luxurious car than its forebear, especially since this model also comes as standard with the Executive Package.
That first E28 M5 may have had only 256hp, but that sort of power was the preserve of two-seater sports cars back in 1988 and with a 0-60mph time of 6.7-seconds and a 150mph top end, it was the fastest production sedan on sale. With four-wheel-drive traction and more than twice the power and torque, the F90 M5 has a claimed 0-60mph time of 3.1-seconds and 189mph top speed (The M Driver’s pack is standard too), making this the fastest M5 yet, an honor it shares with the M5 Competition. To justify the $18,995 premium you pay over that variant, this special edition model comes with a number of visual differences both inside and out. The most obvious difference is the Matte-finish BMW Individual Frozen Dark Gray paint, but you also get unique 20-inch alloy wheels which, along with the brake calipers, can be finished in either gold or black.
The interior gets something BMW refers to as “aluminum carbon structure gold anodised trim” as well as top-spec black leather with beige stitching and plenty of special edition badges. Whether these aesthetic changes are worth the extra outlay is up to the 350 global customers, but limited-edition BMWs have a habit of becoming sought-after modern classics. Whether this model follows the same trend remains to be seen but surely a small power boost or perhaps a sportier exhaust wouldn’t have gone amiss here.
Much has changed in the 35 years since the M5 was first introduced; we have had high-revving V10s, torquey V8s, and the modern turbocharged cars, yet the track-ready sporting pedigree that separates an M car from its rivals is still what defines the latest M5 and that is definitely worth celebrating. Production for the US batch of cars is slated to begin this September and despite the minimal changes over its stablemates, we doubt they will spend much time on dealer’s floors.
Images courtesy of BMW
